~ in Amsterdam!

Tag Archives: edinburgh

We reserved one day in Edinburgh to get out of the city, which I’m SO glad we did. The Scottish countryside was absolutely breathtaking, and it was such a joy to be driving through it. We used this company, recommended to us by a friend, and highly enjoyed it. Of course there were times I wished we were on our own schedule, but in exchange for that we really saw a lot. I’ve listed a few of my favorite below!

Yellow fields: The hills were dotted with wide fields of bright yellow–our driver said it was rapeseed, which is canola to us Americans. I LOVED those pops of color. We never found ourselves right next to it and outside the bus, so all I have are blurry photos of it, but I still loved it.

Forth Bridge: Just north of Edinburgh is the Firth of Forth. (A firth is the Scottish word for an inlet or fjord.) Across that water is the old Kingdom of Fife. Put all that together and you get to say that you’re crossing “the Firth of Forth to Fife.” Which is just fun in your mouth. The bridge opened in 1890, has never had to be repaired, and is still used for trains. Gorgeous!

Ancient Celtic Worship Site: Our tour guide knew where to find this secret special place, and pulled down a small country road to let us take a glimpse. This is an ancient pagan worship place, which is still used today. Next to the old staircase we found Celtic carvings, and the tree stump holds offerings of people who’ve come to pay respects.

St Andrews: Our main destination for the day was the university town of St. Andrews, famous for being the birthplace of golf, and for being the place where Will met Kate. (Aww.) I actually felt kind of guilty for being in the birthplace of golf, since I’ve never been in the least bit interested, but members of my family are crazy about it! Do I buy them postcards, or is that just rude? “I’m here and you’re not, and I’m not even enjoying it like you would!” We dutifully took some photos and peeked inside the golf museum.

My favorite part of St. Andrews was the ruins of the old cathedral, which stand empty and open, grass growing in between.

Our second requirement for celebrating Jesse’s 30th (golden!) birthday, was whiskey. We started with the Whiskey Experience.

Right on the Royal Mile, the Whiskey Experience is pretty touristy and starts off with a kind of kitschy ‘barrel ride’ through whiskey production. But, as someone who didn’t have a clue before, I did come away knowing a lot more about making whiskey, which was pretty interesting. And it comes with a tasting, a keepsake glass, and a peek at the world’s biggest whiskey collection (over 3,300 bottles).

I did not know that whiskey must be aged in a previously-used barrel, like bourbon or sherry. And that all of it’s flavor comes from the aging process, which is why you get expensive whiskies aged 70+ years. I also didn’t know that during aging a small percentage is lost–poof, gone–and this is called “the angel’s share.”

Scottish whiskey, or scotch, is from Scotland, while Irish whiskey is slightly different (and from Ireland, of course), and bourbon is American whiskey (also different). Single-malt scotch comes comes from one distillery and one barrel, while blended whiskey (the most popular on the market) is a blend of many kinds.

We also visited Tullibardine Distillery on a later day, which was a fun glimpse of a small distillery. I’d wager, though, that Jesse’s favorite moment was at The Bow Bar, where he found his holy grail: a 30-year aged whiskey, like himself. He’d been talking about getting it ever since we planned the trip, to anyone who would listen. We chose a nice old pub, got ourselves some drams, and sat down to watch the world go by for a bit. Cheers, Prost, or, if you’re in Scotland, sláinte!

Jesse’s is on the left, a Glenfarclas 30 yr old whiskey.

Barrel art promising to wait 11,000 nights and days, which equals 30 years.

It’s hard to pick a favorite day in Scotland, but this day was one of the best. Everyone we talked to said we needed to go to Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park–an extinct volcano, it rises up next to the city like a protecting wing. “Climb it.” Everyone said. “You won’t regret it.”

Though our Netherlands-legs almost didn’t make it (biking uses different muscles than hiking, apparently), we discovered that they were all telling the truth. It was spectacular. Gorgeous. Wild and impressive. And it had some great views.

At the top! Success!

There are several paths up, and a few different destinations, ranging from relaxed strolling to vigorous hiking. We aimed all the way to the top, so it was a bit vigorous! But seriously–that countryside, that bright green dotted with duksy brown and golden yellow, those magnificent views of the city surrounded by water, the fresh wind in my face… it was gorgeous.

We went up one side and down the other, ending the hike in Duddingston, an old village nestled between the mountain and a loch. The Sheeps’ Heid Inn slaked our thirst and let our legs rest, and the sun peeked out as we left. What a lovely day.

Jesse’s 30th birthday was at the end of May, so for the big celebration he got to choose a place to travel to, what he wanted to do there, and what kind of present he got. You already know he chose Scotland! He had two goals there, and one was to find himself a fine Scottish tweed suit (so he can look the part of an English professor). He did some research before we left, and we spent most of the first day looking in different tweed shops (there were a lot.)

We finally wandered into Walker Slater, which turned out to be the winner! The assistants there were extremely helpful as Jesse perused and tried on jacket after jacket. When he decided on one they even marked it for some alterations, which were finished in time for our departure.

Tweed is a traditional Scottish material woven from rough wool, often having an herringbone and heathered effect. Harris tweed is the most well-known brand, but the fabric is a little bit thicker, and Jesse ended up choosing a lighter style with a more modern fit. Ta-da!

He was wooed into getting the pants, too, so as to have the full suit effect. Because what’s the sense in only have a tweed jacket? (He’d like me to point out that these shoes will not be worn with the suit, normally.)

I just love the way that a location’s food is tied into the entire culture. There’s no better way to get a true sense of a place than to eat up! We were on a tight budget in Scotland, but we did manage to indulge in several delicious items. Of course there were the fish’n’chips!

And a traditional hog roast sandwich:

After days of walking, we refreshed ourselves with lots of fine Scottish ale. Pints and pints of it! Imperial pints, too, which are an entire 20 oz. A whole meal, right there in a glass. British/Scottish ales are drastically different from the Belgian ones we find in Amsterdam, so it was treat to try all of these.

But the most memorable thing we ate was haggis. You’ve heard of haggis, right? It’s usually the food that’s used to describe something a normal person would never eat, along the lines of monkey brain. The funny thing in Edinburgh, though, was that every restaurant offered it! It wasn’t some crazy specialty, it was actually a normal staple. It’s made with a sheep’s offal (heart, liver, lungs), minced with onions, oatmeal, spices, salt, and simmered in broth. (I had to look that up afterwards, because while we were there I refused to know!) It’s served with traditional ‘neeps and tatties,’ mashed turnips and potatoes.

The middle one is haggis, and the sides are ‘neeps and tatties.’

Jesse was brave enough to order haggis and I was brave enough to try a tiny bite. Then another. And another. And before I knew it, I was saying, “Hey, don’t eat all of it, I want another bite.”

Friends, it was good. Really tasty. Savory, perfectly seasoned with a pleasant texture, it was a delicious surprise. I could have eaten more! In fact, we did, when we went back later and ordered the haggis nachos! (Because when else in your life do you get to eat haggis nachos? Seriously.)

The things you learn traveling. What an eye-opening, tastebud-pleasing world it is!

The minute we started walking around Edinburgh, we realized what we had been missing in the Netherlands all these months: hills.

“That view right there is more beautiful than the entirety of the Netherlands,” Jesse joked when we saw the castle on it’s craggy perch. (Okay, he might not have been joking. But I find Holland quite beautiful in it’s own right!)

Medieval Edinburgh is built on a spiny stretch of rock that starts at the castle and runs gradually down the Royal Mile to Holyrood Palace. The rest of the city falls to either side, the small windy streets giving way to well-spaced Georgian New Town. With lots of upscale boutiques and cafes, New Town is the place to be seen. Older, twistier, and a bit more touristy is the Old Town and the Royal Mile.

Snaking out from the Royal Mile are dozens of hidden alleyways and squares called ‘closes.’ Originally small streets or entryways, the buildings around them were eventually built up so much that the closes became enclosed. They are now dark, eerie places where ghost stories and urban legends abound. Lots of companies offer tours, and I partly wish we had taken one since I feel like that’s such a huge part of Edinburgh. But our budget dictated other things, so we went without. (Probably best, since I don’t do well with ghost stories!)

I learned all sorts of things, like how Edinburgh is pronounced “Edin-burra,” and how the Flodden wall was built around the city to keep the English out. I also developed a huge love of the Scottish accent, and have since demanded Jesse to practice. Constantly.

Scotland history is a bit fascinating to me, and I indulged in completely. Audio tours in the castle told stories of Mary, Queen of Scots, of Bonnie Prince Charlie, of Robert the Bruce and yes, William Wallace. We gazed out from the castle walls to the hills and waters surrounding the city, fascinated by the long, bloody road that led to this sunny day.

Oh, and we also saw this cafe, which claims to be the place J.K. Rowling (who lives in Edinburgh) wrote the first books of Harry Potter. So, if you’re not into history, there’s another claim to fame for you!

Whew! It’s been busy here lately! And with a trip planned and a few more friends visiting (one is suddenly very popular when one lives in a foreign city), it doesn’t promise to let up anytime soon.

But I have so many things to post about! Our trip to Belgium, our visit to a Dutch theme park, small towns in Holland, and more. Tomorrow I add even more to that list, as we’re flying off to Edinburgh, Scotland!

Jesse turns the big 3-0 (today!), and picked Edinburgh as the perfect birthday present. I’ve heard only great things, and since our wonderful time in London I’ve been excited to explore another corner of the UK. We leave tomorrow for five full days of whiskey-tasting and city-exploring. I do have a few posts scheduled while we’re gone, and then I’m going to do my best to post all my stories and pictures of the places we’ve been!

For now, I’m off to celebrate a birthday. Wish us luck in Edinburgh–any great tips?